Amalaamator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. D. COB.

v AMALGAMATOR.

ted Dec. 25,1894.-

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I NVENTOH ozma WITNESSES: .W w' s ATTORNEYS.

- (No Model.)

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2 Sheetsy-Sheqt 2.

r AMALGAMATOR. I 1 V I No. 531,611. 4 5 Patented Dec. 25,1894.

. {f ,3 X a WITNESSES: INVENTOR- "ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

LEWIS D. COE, OF LEADVILLE, COLORADO,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH A. LAMPING, OF SAME PLACE.

AMALGAMATOR.

srncrrrcnrrron forming as of Iietters PatentNo. 531,611, dated December 25, .1894.

A lican filed January 16,18 94 semi in. 497,051. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.

Be it known that I, LEWIS D. 00E, of Leadville,in the county of Lake and State of 0010-,

rado, have invented a new and Improved Amalgamator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. i

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved amalgamator, which is comparatively simple and durable in construction, very efiective in operation, and arranged to save all the precious metals contained in the material and to permit of conducting the operation without interruption.

The invention consists principally of a mercury well connected with a supply, pipe and into which extends a riffie discharge channel.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

' Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line 11 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 2'2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The improved amalgamator is provided with a suitably-constructed vessel or well A supported in a framework B, and provided in one side with a supply pipe C- containing a valve O, and opening intoa vessel D,con-- taining mercury, to charge the said well A from time to time with the necessary amount On one side of the well Ais arranged a'glass gage E, to indicate the amount of mercury contained in the well. Into the well A and near the bottom of the same extends a supply pipe F, through which the material to be treated and containing precious metal, together with water, is passed into the.

mercury contained in the well A. The inner spout-like end of the supply pipe F is covered by a screen G, so that the material passes in a finely divided state into the mercury contained in the well. The pipe F is held in a boss A forming part of the well A, and into the said boss extends the pipe H, formed at its upper end with a flaring mouth H connected with the bottom of a chute I, through which the material is washed from the mills, screened from .placer mining sluices or other places, and containing fine gold or other precious' metals that are so fine and light in weight that they float, and cannot be amal- 'gamated on plates or caught by other riftles or devices, and by this device forced directly into the mercury. 4 p

In the bottom of the chute I, directly over the flaring mouth H is arranged an opening covered by a screen I, so that only the finer material, together with the water, passes through the said screen into the mouth H and pipe H, to finally pass into the pipe F and through the screen G into the mercury in the well A. A valve J arranged on the under side of the bottom of the chute I serves to open and close the screen opening at the mouth H, so as to regulate the amount of water and material passing from the chute I into the pipe H. The latter extends such a distance upward as to produce a sufficient hydrostatic pressure of the water passing through the screen G into the mercury con tainedin the well A.

The forward end of the chute l is provided with an outlet K, down which falls the coarser, heavier material, rock and waste, to the same current of water beyond the amalgamator,

The Well A is provided with an outlet channel A formed with the bottom parts A and A of which the part A is inclined downwardly cury contained in the well extends over the said bottom part A onto' a riffie frame L,'as plainly shown in Fig. 1. The mercury in the well A forms a mercury bottom for the part A of the well outlet A so that the fine particles of mercury which may become separated can more readily come in contact with the main body of mercury and run back into the well. The other bottom part A leads outward and downward to carry off the tailings, as hereinafter more fully described.

The riffie frame L is provided with two longitudinally-extending side beams L and L? connected with each other by transverse riflies L slanting upwardly, as plainly indipassing along the chute I over the screen I.

and inwardly into the well, so thatthe mer through the pipe, to force the material cated in Fig. 1. The side beams L and L are fastened on the top surface of the part A and to the sides of the channel A and then extend inwardly into the well, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1, the said side beams being curved downward, as will be readily understood by reference to the said Fig. 1.

In order to draw 0d the amalgam from the well A, I arrange in the bottom of the latter a pipe N, provided with a valve N and discharging into a vessel 0, set below the said pipe, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. On the lower end of the pipe N is held a cover N for the vessel 0 to prevent the amalgam from splashing over the top of the said vessel. A suitable locking device is provided to temporarily lock the vessel 0 and cover together, to prevent dishonest parties from tampering with the contents of the vessel.

The operation is as fol1ows:'lhe well A is first filled with mercury to such an extent that when the hydrostatic pressure is applied the mercury will rise in the well to a sufficient height to form a mercury bottom to the part A of the outlet A and consequently reaches theinner end of the riffle frame L. The valve J is then opened so that the material washing down the chute I passes through the screen 1' into the pipe H and is washed down the same by the accompanying water. The material is forced through the screen G in a finely divided state by the hydrostatic pressure of the column of water in the pipe I-I, so that the material in the finely divided state passes into the mercury contained in the well A and in rising therein brings its precious metal in contact with the mercury so as to combine with the same, while the tailings pass upward onto the surface of the mercury to pass over the several rifiies L into the channel A and finally down the inclined bottom A to the outside of the amalgamator. Now, it will be seen that any precious metals contained in the material, after passing through the mercury and coming in contact with the rifiles L will be separated from the tailings and brought into contact with the mercury, to be taken up by the latter. The amalgam settling in the bottom of the well A can be drawn oil from time to time by the operator opening the valve N in the pipe N so that the amalgam passes into the vessel 0. The operator after having drawn ed the amalgam closes the valve N'and opens the valve 0 so as to again charge the well A with mercury from the supply vessel D. By this arrangement the supply of material and water through the chute I need not be stopped, and thus the operation can be carried on continuously in the manner above described. The well A, as well as part of the channel A is preferably covered by a hinged lid A as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an amalgamator, the combination with a mercury well having an outlet channel, of a rifiie frame secured in the outlet channel and projecting into the well, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an amalgamator, the combination with a mercury well having an outlet channel, of a i material supply pipe projecting into the well,

near the bottom thereof, a screen on the inner end of the said pipe, and a riflie frame secured in the outlet channel and projecting into the well, substantially as described.

3. In an amalgamator, the combination with a mercury well having an outlet channel, the bottom portion A of which inclines downwardly and inwardly, and the portion A downwardly and outwardly, of a riffle frame secured to the part A of the bottom of the channel and projecting over the part A into the well, substantially as described.

4. In an amalgamator,the combination with a mercury well having an outlet channel, of a chute above the well, and having a valved openingin its bottom and a supply pipe leading from the opening in the bottom of the chute to the mercury well near the bottom thereof, and having its inner end projecting a short distance into the well and covered by a screen, substantially as described.

5. In an amalgamator, the combination with a mercury well having an outlet channel, of a chute above the well, a supply pipe leading from an opening in the bottom of the chute to'the well and projecting into the same near the bottom thereof, a screen covering the end of the supply pipe projecting into the well, and a riffle frame secured to the bottom of the outlet channel and projecting into the well, substantially as described.

LEWIS D. (JOE. Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. LAMPING, ROBERT J. GRAY. 

